Physics of active jamming during collective cellular motion in a monolayer

Although collective cell motion plays an important role, for example during wound healing, embryogenesis, or cancer progression, the fundamental rules governing this motion are still not well understood, in particular at high cell density. We study here the motion of human bronchial epithelial cells...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences - PNAS 2015-12, Vol.112 (50), p.15314-15319
Main Authors: Garcia, Simon, Hannezo, Edouard, Elgeti, Jens, Joanny, Jean-François, Silberzan, Pascal, Gov, Nir S.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Biological Sciences
Biophysical Phenomena
Bronchi - cytology
Cell adhesion & migration
Cell Adhesion Molecules - metabolism
Cell growth
Cell Movement
Cells - cytology
Cluster Analysis
Computer Simulation
Dogs
Epithelial Cells - cytology
Friction
Humans
Madin Darby Canine Kidney Cells
Mice
Microscopy
Models, Theoretical
NIH 3T3 Cells
Physical Sciences
Time Factors
Velocity
Wound healing
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Summary:Although collective cell motion plays an important role, for example during wound healing, embryogenesis, or cancer progression, the fundamental rules governing this motion are still not well understood, in particular at high cell density. We study here the motion of human bronchial epithelial cells within a monolayer, over long times. We observe that, as the monolayer ages, the cells slow down monotonously, while the velocity correlation length first increases as the cells slow down but eventually decreases at the slowest motions. By comparing experiments, analytic model, and detailed particle-based simulations, we shed light on this biological amorphous solidification process, demonstrating that the observed dynamics can be explained as a consequence of the combined maturation and strengthening of cell–cell and cell–substrate adhesions. Surprisingly, the increase of cell surface density due to proliferation is only secondary in this process. This analysis is confirmed with two other cell types. The very general relations between the mean cell velocity and velocity correlation lengths, which apply for aggregates of self-propelled particles, as well as motile cells, can possibly be used to discriminate between various parameter changes in vivo, from noninvasive microscopy data.
ISSN:0027-8424
1091-6490
DOI:10.1073/pnas.1510973112